The invention relates to a product stocking device for placing a plurality of packaged products on a display hanger in a substantially single step.
It is well known to display products packaged using a variety of display packages, such as display bags, blister packs, display cards, display containers, or the like. All of the display packages having an aperture adjacent the top of each package, such that the display packages may hang from display hangers or peg hooks that extend from a display or display shelf.
Conventionally to display the display packages, a stocker retrieves each display bag, blister pack, display card, display container, or the like from a box or larger bag containing a multiplicity of display packages and mounts each display package individually onto a display hanger. Alternatively, a stocker takes a plurality of display packages from the box or larger bag and aligns the mounting apertures by hand and in turn mounts the plurality of display packages onto a display hanger. For the stocker, the process of mounting the display package onto the display hangers is a tedious and time consuming task that requires exceedingly repetitive work for the stocker. Having such repetitive work for a stocker increases costs for the store employing the stocker and also increases the chances that while the stocker is placing the display packages onto the display hangers that the individual display package could be dropped by the stocker, possibly causing damage to the product or the packaging itself could be torn or damaged because of the careless package handling brought on by the tedium of the stocking task.
It is known in the art to insert a common twist tie through the apertures of a plurality of display bags. The twist tie substantially causes coaxial alignment of the display bag apertures. The twist tie partially solves the problem of requiring a stocker to stock individual display bags one at a time. A twist tie however has the disadvantage of being difficult to manually disengage from the plurality of bags without the use of a suitable tool. Further, a twist tie requires a substantial twisting effort in putting together the plurality of bags. Further still, a twist tie does not have an area providing for easy labeling of the products that are held by the twist tie or for easy grasping by a stocker.
Thus, there is a need and desire for a device that improves the efficiency of handling a multiplicity of display packages to be mounted onto display hangers. There is also a need and desire for an efficient method of mounting a plurality of display packages onto display hangers. Further, there is a need and desire for a device which keeps a plurality of display packages together so that the plurality of display packages can be easily mounted onto display hangers in a substantially single step. Further still, there is a need and desire for a device that holds together a plurality of display packages that can be easily manufactured with little expense and can be easily packaged along with the plurality of display packages in a case or box containing a plurality of display packages.
The present invention relates to a product stocking device for retaining a plurality of display packages. The product stocking device includes a first section being manually graspable and having a proximal and distal end. The product stocking device also includes a second section having a proximal and distal end. The proximal end of the second section is coupled to the distal end of the first section, and the second section has a coupling portion. The plurality of display packages are selectively retained on the second section.
The present invention further relates to a system for packaging a multiplicity of display packages in a shipping container. Each display package has a display aperture. The system includes at least one stocking device having a first end and a second end. The first end is threadable through the display apertures in a plurality of display packages. The at least one stocking device has a coupling aperture intermediate the first end and the second end to which the first end is coupled and retained to form a loop. At least one band encircles and binds each plurality of display packages that is retained by the at least one stocking device.
The present invention still further relates to a method of packaging a multiplicity of display packages. Each display package has a display aperture. The method includes threading a stocking device, having a first end and a second end, and a coupling portion intermediate the first and second ends, through the display apertures of a plurality of display packages. The method also includes coupling the first end of the stocking device to the retaining aperture, to form a loop. The method further includes banding the plurality of display packages being retained by the stocking device and placing the plurality of display packages being retained by the stocking device into a shipping container.